Physiologia plantarum最新文献

{"title":"Ovary Locule Number Functions as a Key Driver in Shaping the Fruit Architecture of Lycium barbarum L.","authors":"Luxi Li, Wei Zhu, Yingzhi Qin, Ken Qin, Jinhuan Chen","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The external traits of Lycium barbarum L. fruits are primary determinants of their commercial value. Ovary locule number is a fundamental developmental structure hypothesized to be a key intrinsic factor influencing these traits. However, systematic investigation into its specific role remains limited. This study systematically investigated the correlation between locule number and key fruit traits, and compared differences between wild and cultivated accessions from the Ningxia region. Multivariate statistical analyses, including correlation analysis and principal component analysis, were employed. The results revealed an unbalanced distribution of locule number, with bilocular ovaries predominating. Furthermore, locule number showed significant positive correlations with size-related traits (single fruit weight, fruit area) but negative correlations with shape indices (fruit shape index, length-to-width ratio). Interestingly, the average locule number in cultivated L. barbarum was significantly higher than in wild accessions. Cultivated accessions exhibited distinct domestication characteristics, including greater single-fruit weight, altered fruit shape index, and color. Single fruit weight and fruit roundness are identified as key indicators for predicting locule number. We conclude that ovary locule number is a key intrinsic factor determining fruit size and shape, with a trade-off: increased locule number promotes enlargement but leads to a rounder shape. Domestication has preferentially selected for genotypes with more locules and larger fruit size. Therefore, locule number can serve as an effective early phenotypic marker for quality breeding programs in L. barbarum.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70871"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic Activation of Proline/Arginine and Energy Metabolism Confers Alkali Tolerance in Wild Soybean Cotyledons.","authors":"Jingang Mo, Yongjun Hu, Mingxia Li, Maofeng Yue, Yunan Hu","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70896","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ppl.70896","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Soil alkalization poses a significant threat to global food security, affecting approximately 10% of the world's arable land. Wild soybean (Glycine soja) is considered an important genetic resource for alkali stress tolerance. However, the adaptive mechanisms of its cotyledons at the vegetative emergence (VE) stage remain poorly understood. In this study, wild and cultivated soybean (Glycine max) were exposed to simulated alkali stress at the VE stage. To elucidate the cotyledon responses, an integrated approach combining physiological, ultrastructural, photosynthetic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses was employed. Following alkali stress, the wild soybean cotyledons maintained a stable morphological structure, whereas those of cultivated soybean showed severe wilting. Furthermore, chloroplast integrity and photosynthetic performance were maintained in wild soybean. A metabolite-gene network analysis revealed the specific activation of proline and arginine metabolic modules in wild soybean, which exhibited synergistic interactions with the TCA cycle module. Overall, wild soybean mitigated alkali stress at the VE stage by stabilizing chloroplast structure, optimizing stomatal conductance, coordinating activation of a nitrogen-buffering mechanism mediated by proline and arginine metabolism, and enhancing the energy supply driven by the TCA cycle. Key genetic targets, including P5CS, SAMDC, and SDH, were identified for their influence in improving crop alkali tolerance, thereby providing valuable insights for breeding alkali-resistant varieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70896"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147729387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic Insights Into Peppermint Adventitious Root Development Induced by Trichoderma Volatile Organic Compounds Under Salt Stress.","authors":"Zhongjuan Zhao, Qingao Kan, Kai Yang, Yanli Wei, Yi Zhou, Jishun Li","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70837","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Salt stress severely impacts a plant's root development. This study explores the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Trichoderma harzianum ST02 in enhancing adventitious root development of peppermint (Mentha × piperita), an important salt-tolerant medicinal plant, under salt stress. Peppermint seedlings were subjected to NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) with or without exposure to T. harzianum ST02 VOCs. Morphological analyses revealed that VOCs significantly increased adventitious root numbers and total root length under salt stress, alleviating NaCl-induced damage. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis found 3(2H)-furanone, dihydro-2-methyl, as a predominant component in T. harzianum ST02 VOCs. Transcriptomic analysis via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) for four groups under different treatments identified 5589 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 298 DEGs specifically linked to VOCs exposure under 100 mM NaCl stress. Functional annotation indicated enrichment in pathways related to secondary metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. VOCs modulated key genes, including those encoding ion transporters (e.g., SLAH2 and ABCG14), reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging (e.g., peroxidases), and cell wall-modifying enzymes (e.g., XTH). Notably, VOCs downregulated genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene biosynthesis (NCED3, ACS, and ACO), reducing stress signaling, while upregulating auxin (GH3.1) and gibberellin (GA2ox) metabolism genes, promoting root development. These findings suggest that T. harzianum ST02 VOCs enhance peppermint's salt tolerance by coordinately regulating hormone signaling, ion transport, and cell wall remodeling, thereby facilitating adventitious root development. Our work provides a molecular framework for utilizing beneficial microbes to improve plant resilience in saline environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70837"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147434747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Humic Acid Induces an Adaptive Stress Response During Early Signaling in Rice.","authors":"José Nivaldo de Oliveira Sátiro, Andrés Calderín García, Andressa Fabiane Faria de Souza, Clenya Carla Leandro de Oliveira, André Luís da Silva Parente Nogueira, Rômulo Vallim Dos Santos, Inês Ariane de Paiva Câncio, Orlando Carlos Huertas Tavares, Ricardo Luiz Louro Berbara, Manlio Silvestre Fernandes, Leandro Azevedo Santos","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70877","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ppl.70877","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Humic substances (HS) are widely recognized as plant biostimulants, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their mode of action remain incompletely defined. Here, we used RNA sequencing to investigate the early transcriptional responses of rice roots exposed for only 4 h to vermicompost-derived humic acid (HA). Our results reveal a rapid and pronounced transcriptional reprogramming consistent with the establishment of a eustress-like physiological state. HA treatment induced 231 genes, whereas only seven were repressed, indicating a predominantly stimulatory effect on gene expression. The induced genes were significantly enriched in functional categories related to redox homeostasis, glutathione metabolism, oxidoreductase and peroxidase activities, and cellular detoxification, suggesting an immediate adjustment of intracellular redox balance and antioxidant capacity. Concomitantly, pathways associated with phenylpropanoid metabolism, oxylipin biosynthesis, and jasmonate-mediated signaling were activated, together with the induction of transcription factors from the WRKY and C2H2 zinc finger families, supporting early regulatory control of defense-related networks. The coordinated activation of redox- and hormone-associated pathways indicates that HA rapidly modulates ROS-dependent signaling and integrates it with jasmonate-centered responses. Importantly, this transcriptional signature is consistent with a eustress-like state in which defense and adaptive mechanisms are mobilized without evidence of acute stress injury. Collectively, our findings establish a mechanistic framework for HS action in which HA functions as a chemical eustressor that rapidly reconfigures redox-hormone crosstalk, positioning reactive oxygen species signaling as a central integrative hub underlying the biostimulant and adaptive effects of humic substances in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70877"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13092416/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147723499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Variation in Photosynthetic Efficiency and Photoprotection of Acacia tortilis and Prosopis juliflora in a Hyper-Arid Desert.","authors":"Ahmad Zia","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70820","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ppl.70820","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dryland ecosystems impose severe constraints on plant productivity due to intense irradiance, high temperatures, and persistent water scarcity. This study compared seasonal variation in photosynthetic performance, photosystem II (PSII) efficiency, and photoprotective responses between the native thermophilic legume tree Acacia tortilis and the introduced invasive Prosopis juliflora under natural hyper-arid desert conditions. Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching were assessed alongside leaf pigments, nitrogen content, biomass, and polyphasic OJIP fluorescence transients in winter (February-March) and summer (June-July). A. tortilis consistently exhibited higher net CO₂ assimilation rates and maintained water-use efficiency across seasons, whereas P. juliflora showed a pronounced summer decline in both parameters. Chlorophyll fluorescence revealed stable PSII quantum efficiency and photochemical quenching in A. tortilis, with sustained and regulated non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) under summer stress. These traits were consistent with enhanced nitrogen status, pigment contents and leaf mass per area. In contrast, P. juliflora displayed greater photochemical plasticity but suffered structural and functional PSII impairments in summer, linked to reduced NPQ capacity, lower nitrogen, and pigment depletion. OJIP analyses indicated that A. tortilis maintained coordinated intersystem electron transport and efficient overall energy use, resulting in consistently higher energy conservation performance indices (PI_ABS and PI_total). These findings support the hypothesis that native A. tortilis maintains superior photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, and biomass production under extreme summer stress compared with P. juliflora. The results highlight key physiological traits that underpin xerophytic tree resilience and inform strategies for vegetation management and restoration in arid environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70820"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147369990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zinc Sulfate-Mediated Modulation of Growth, Physiology, Yield, and Metabolome in Capsicum annuum L. Under Salinity Stress.","authors":"Amantika Singh, Krishna Kumar Choudhary","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70833","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70833","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Salinity stress is a major global constraint to agriculture, limiting plant growth and productivity. Exogenous application of ZnSO₄ offers a potential strategy to mitigate its detrimental effects owing to zinc's vital role in plant metabolism. A preliminary screening using varying concentrations of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5%) under 50 and 100 mM NaCl in Capsicum annuum L. identified 0.1% as the most effective dose, while 0.5% caused phytotoxicity. To validate these findings, a pot experiment was conducted under natural conditions to evaluate the physio-chemical, ultrastructural, yield and metabolomic responses of Capsicum annuum L. to 0.1% and 0.5% ZnSO₄ under salinity stress. The results revealed that 0.1% ZnSO₄ significantly enhanced stomatal aperture and density, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, and relative water content, leading to improved biomass and yield. Untargeted quantitative UHPLC-HRMS metabolomics showed upregulation of phenylpropanoids, amino acids, and fatty acid amides, indicating enhanced antioxidant defense and metabolic signaling for stress tolerance. Conversely, 0.5% ZnSO₄ disrupted cellular homeostasis, increased ROS accumulation and impaired energy metabolism, reflecting oxidative damage. Overall, these findings underscore how Capsicum annuum L. dynamically perceives and responds to salinity and exogenous ZnSO₄ via coordinating physio-chemical performance and molecular signaling to achieve ecological resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70833"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147434822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eggplant AP2/ERF Transcription Factor SmWIN1 Promotes Wax Biosynthesis by Activating the Expression of SmKCS6 and SmLACS2.","authors":"Jianyong Li, Pengqing Wang, Mengliang Zhu, Yang Liu, Shaohang Li, Huoying Chen","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70848","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70848","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epicuticular wax not only determines the glossiness of eggplant fruit skin but also plays a crucial role in moisture retention, extending shelf life, and enhancing plant resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the key regulatory genes and molecular mechanisms involved in wax biosynthesis in eggplants remain largely unclear. This study reports the identification of a positive regulatory factor for wax biosynthesis in eggplants, the AP2/ERF transcription factor SmWIN1 (WAX INDUCER1). SmWIN1 exhibits transcriptional activation activity and is primarily expressed in the fruit peel, with its expression being suppressed by UV-B treatment while induced by 4°C, PEG, and NaCl treatments. Overexpression of SmWIN1 significantly promotes wax biosynthesis in both the leaves and fruit peels of eggplants, enhancing their glossiness. Transcriptomic sequencing analysis revealed that over 20 structural genes involved in wax biosynthesis, including SmKCS6 (3-Ketoacyl-CoA Synthase 6) and SmLACS2 (Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Synthetase 2), were upregulated in the leaves of SmWIN1 transgenic plants. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated that SmWIN1 activates the expression of these genes by binding to their respective promoters. This study elucidates the key regulatory genes and molecular mechanisms underlying epicuticular wax biosynthesis in eggplants, thereby deepening our understanding of the molecular regulation of wax formation in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70848"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147646361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Symbiosis With Rhizophagus irregularis Improves Grapevine Rootstock Performances Under Water Deficit Conditions.","authors":"Lucas Galimand, Martin Lamy, Laure Valat, Hélène Laloue, Yann Leva, Laurence Deglène-Benbrahim, Loïc Yung, Julie Chong","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70864","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ppl.70864","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Grapevine is a major crop of crucial socio-economic importance; however, its culture is threatened by climate change, particularly drought. Indeed, water deficit has a negative impact on grapevine growth and yield, but also affects fruit and wine quality. To improve grapevine resilience to drought, developing strategies such as symbiosis with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi could be promising. We focused on the benefits of using Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM 197198 in improving performances in controlled conditions with two widely used rootstocks (41B and SO4) under moderate to severe water deficit. At a field capacity of 14%-40%, SO4 was more affected compared to 41B. Successful functional symbiosis was obtained for the two rootstocks, both in well-watered and water-deficient conditions. Interestingly, colonization with R. irregularis improved growth and photosynthetic parameters in both 41B and SO4, especially under water stress, restoring them to the levels of non-stressed plants. Further analysis of mineral nutrition and aquaporin expression revealed contrasting responses between the two rootstocks. Whereas mycorrhization strongly enhanced phosphorus concentration in both 41B and SO4 roots and leaves, the overall beneficial effects of the symbiosis on mineral nutrition were more pronounced in SO4. In contrast, the expression of VvPIP2.1, a highly water-permeable aquaporin involved in root hydraulic conductivity, was increased in mycorrhized roots of 41B but repressed in SO4. This study emphasizes that interaction between AMF and grapevine induces contrasting effects on plant nutrition depending on the rootstock genotype, and that mycorrhizal inoculation could be of interest in the case of drought-sensitive rootstocks.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70864"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13058788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147632756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary Dynamics of CBL Genes in Six Magnoliaceae Species and Conserved Function of CBL4 in Species-Specific Cold Inducibility.","authors":"Yongchao Ke, Liyong Sun, Yao Chen, Lina Xu, Liming Yang, Zengfang Yin","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70876","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) are calcium sensors, and clarifying their evolutionary patterns and stress responses is critical for understanding adaptation in Magnoliaceae. Here, we characterize the CBL family in Magnoliaceae and test whether CBL4 shows conserved function in species-specific cold responses. We identified 38 CBL genes from six Magnoliaceae species. Evolutionary analysis revealed that CBLs likely originated in green algae and mainly expanded in eudicots, while copy number in Magnoliaceae remained stable (6-7). Phylogenetic and structural analyses classified Magnoliaceae CBLs into four clades and revealed conserved EF-hand domains and FPSF motifs. Analyses revealed purifying selection with frequent duplications, whereas positively selected lineages had fewer, suggesting functional divergence. GO/KEGG annotations linked Magnoliaceae CBLs to Ca²⁺-mediated signaling, stress responses, and metabolism. In three Magnoliaceae species with contrasting cold tolerance (Magnolia biondii, Liriodendron chinense, and Magnolia sinica), qRT-PCR showed an inverse cold-induction gradient of CBL4: cold-resistant M. biondii had the weakest upregulation, L. chinense was in the middle, and cold-sensitive M. sinica had the strongest upregulation. Other CBL members exhibited species-specific patterns. After equal heterologous expression of the CBL4 homologs from the three species in Arabidopsis, all lines exhibited similar enhancement of cold resistance. The results showed reduced ROS accumulation and electrolyte leakage, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and improved photosynthetic performance under cold stress. CBL4 overexpression also enhanced the cold-induced expression of ICE1-CBF-COR pathway genes. Together, our study refines the evolutionary framework of Magnoliaceae CBLs and highlights CBL4 expression-level tuning as a practical route to enhance cold tolerance in woody plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70876"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Regulatory Network of Allyl Isothiocyanate Induced Insect Defense in Pakchoi.","authors":"Yue Wu, Yuting Zhang, Yingying Zhao, Yahui Liu, Zhujun Zhu, Boyu Zhang, Jing Yang","doi":"10.1111/ppl.70872","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70872","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a sulfur-containing volatile from the cruciferous glucosinolate-myrosinase hydrolysis, the core reaction of the \"mustard oil bomb\", acts as an antimicrobial, insecticidal, and airborne signaling molecule. In this study, two treatments were established: direct fumigation with AITC (Group D) and plant-to-plant aerial chemical communication (Group T) in pakchoi, and RNA-seq, RT-qPCR, glucosinolate (GSL)/isothiocyanate (ITC) quantification, and Spodoptera litura feeding assays were used to investigate AITC-induced insect resistance. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. Metabolically, AITC effectively promoted the conversion of GSL to ITC, resulting in higher total ITC content in all treatment groups compared to the control, following a time-dependent accumulation pattern. Spodoptera litura larvae displayed reduced feeding preference for AITC-treated pakchoi, which was negatively correlated with ITC levels. This study reveals the key regulatory mechanism by which AITC enhances secondary metabolism and produces volatile metabolites for insect defense, probably through activating a signaling network centered on jasmonic acid (JA) and synergizing with other hormones. It also confirms AITC's role in airborne early warning and plant-to-plant signal transmission, providing theoretical foundations and practical references for developing green pest control technologies based on plant volatile metabolites, such as AITC. However, the specific sensory receptors mediating AITC-induced plant airborne immunity, the detailed processes of signal transmission between plants, and the interactive networks with other defense pathways still require further in-depth exploration.</p>","PeriodicalId":20164,"journal":{"name":"Physiologia plantarum","volume":"178 2","pages":"e70872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}